Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies

January 5, 2012

You may be well on your way into settling into this New Year, and maybe even weaned your way out of your elastic-waist pants. Personally, I was really questioning if I would be able to fit into my dress pants for work on Tuesday, but thankfully they slid right on. We won’t talk about the less forgiving bathroom scale, deal?

I think I’m finally coming down from my food induced haze and find myself craving structure as opposed to cookies. Ha! Who am I kidding? I’m not fooling anyone here – I love cookies. It doesn’t matter that we just spent 2 months baking our little hearts out. Every day is a baking day around here.

I made Chewy Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies over the holiday, but never got around to photographing them, so I just had to make them again. They are actually quite reminiscent of Snickerdoodles, but definitely pack a bigger flavor punch due to the blend of Chai inspired spices.

Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice and black pepper combine to create an incredibly aromatic spice blend that transforms a plain, chewy sugar cookie recipe into a complex and comforting cookie that is pairs perfectly with a piping hot cup of tea.

I think you’re going to love them. In fact, I know you’re going to love them so much you’ll forgive me for posting a delicious must-make cookie recipe five days after the New Year has begun. That’s the power of positive thinking for ya.

Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies

Yield: About 3 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups white sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice and black pepper. Remove 1/4 cup of the sugar-spice mixture, set aside to reserve for rolling the cookies.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar-spice mixture until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Beat in egg and vanilla extract, combine until fully incorporated.

Slowly blend in dry ingredients mixing until just combined.

Using a small scoop (2 teaspoons) roll dough into balls and then into the reserved sugar-spice mixture. Place dough balls on prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Let stand on baking sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Notes

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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157 comments

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This is an amazing recipe. The cookies are amazing. I did double all the spices, as my family loves big tastes. All three of my kids have sensory processing disorders and love spicy. The dough came together with no problems. These cookies are a big hit with everynody who tastes them. These are my new favorite cookie!

OMG these are awesome!! I yielded only 2 dozen cookies. Everyone loved them. There was no need to store them for 3 days, they were gone in 2! I plan to make the sugar cookie base and try lavendar…

So happy to hear you loved them, Ellen!

Just made these, followed the recipe and didn’t make any changes and they turned out great! Exactly like in the picture :) I used an extra large egg and the dough was the perfect consistency. rolling them in sugar makes them glisten & they really look store-bought! The only thing is Next time I would probably put aside a little more than just 1/4 of the sugar/spice mixture, but apart from that wouldn’t change a thing!